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2008/2009 Canada's Top 10™
Technology Competition Jury

Christopher J. Albinson - Managing Director, Panorama Capital - Menlo Park, CA

Mr. Albinson is a co-founder and Managing Director of Panorama where he focuses primarily on internet technology investments. Mr. Albinson was also a General Partner at JPMorgan Partners running the technology venture capital practice. Prior to JP Morgan Partners, Mr. Albinson helped grow four start ups most recently as Chief Strategy Officer for Digital Island, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISLD; acquired by Cable & Wireless, Inc. in 2001). Previously, Mr. Albinson held corporate development roles at Newbridge Networks, Inc. where he was involved in a $217 million corporate venture fund, which invested in 27 companies, including Juniper Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:JNPR), Cambrian Systems Corporation (acquired by Nortel Corporation), Abatis Systems Corporation (acquired by Redback Networks Inc.), Fastlane Technologies Inc. (acquired by Quest Software, Inc.), BNI Systems (acquired by Nortel Corporation), and PixStream Incorporated (acquired by Cisco Systems, Inc.). Mr. Albinson has been a speaker, panelist, and judge at Web 2.0 Summit, Next Generation Networks, Red Herring Top 100,Canada’s Top 10 Technology Start Ups, and the Gilder’s Telecosm conference. Mr. Albinson holds a B.S. and an M.B.A. from the University of Western Ontario. He currently serves on the board of directors of Federated Media Publishing, BelAir Networks., Cedar Point Communications, and Eltek-Valere Power, Inc. Mr. Albinson is also on the advisory board of Partners for Growth, a venture lending firm backed by Silicon Valley Bank.

   

Pat DiPietro - Managing General Partner, VenGrowth Private Equity Partners Inc. – Ottawa, ON

Pat joined VenGrowth in 2001, and has over 28 years of experience in high technology specializing in the fields of communications, semiconductors, and convergence. Before VenGrowth, he held senior managerial roles at Nortel Networks and Bell Northern Research (BNR), where he launched several highly successful network products, winning the Nortel President’s award for innovation in 1997. Pat holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Queen's University.

   

Glenn R. Egan - Managing Director, Telecommunications, BDC Venture Capital - Ottawa, ON

The telecommunications team is led by Glenn Egan who joined BDC Venture Capital in 2000. Glenn brings 20 years of operational experience to the position including 15 years in wireless products and services. Prior to joining BDC he spent 3 years as Vice President, Business Development for EMS Technologies. He spent the previous 12 years in various senior positions with wireless carriers including a wireless start-up.

Glenn Egan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

   

Jeff Grammer - Partner, Rho Canada - Montreal, QC

Prior to joining Rho Canada in 2006, Jeff has a 25 year background in technology as both entrepreneur and investor. Jeff worked as an entrepreneur at: Chips and Technologies, Summit Systems, Databook, N*Able Technologies, and Ember. Jeff worked as an investor at Techfarm and Sigma Partners. He received an MA in International Economics from Boston University.

Jeff currently serves on the board of HR Alloy and Nowpublic.

   

Charles R. Lax - Managing General Partner, GrandBanks Capital - Newton Center, MA

Charley is the founder and Managing General Partner of GrandBanks Capital and focuses on investments in Internet infrastructure, software and software services, security and storage applications, media technologies and services, financial technologies and services, and wireless technologies and services. Charley's investment career includes investments in 41 portfolio companies, which have resulted in 29 exits thus far.

His track record includes taking 15 companies public, of which 10 achieved market caps in excess of $1 billion. Charley currently serves on the boards of several GBC companies, including Colubris Networks, Coradiant, Ember Corporation, Incipient, and manages GBC's investment in OutStart.

   

Bernie LI - Principal, iNovia Capital - Montreal, QC

Bernie joined iNovia Capital in 2004 and brings over 10 years of operating and investment experience in the New York, Toronto and Montreal markets to help the launch and growth of emerging high tech and healthcare companies. Prior to iNovia Capital, Bernie was an integral member in launching Carrot Capital, a New York based seed stage venture capital fund. There, Bernie was involved with equity investments made in start-ups involved in wireless technologies, in new media and in the healthcare industry. Bernie has also provided project management services to start-up and multinational enterprises while with Arthur Andersen and began his investment career with Scotia Merchant Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of Nova Scotia.

Bernie holds an H.B.B.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University.

   

Bernhardt Zeisig - Director, VIMAC Ventures LLC - Boston, MA

Bernie Zeisig joined VIMAC in August 1998 as an associate to help expand the operations of the firm. Eighteen months later, he was made partner and Director of Canadian Markets. In this role, he is responsible for expanding the firm’s presence in Canada, assessing new investment opportunities and helping manage portfolio companies in both Canada and the U.S. Bernie began his career at 18, when he built his first successful company. He later became an active angel investor, built a trans-Atlantic joint venture and worked as a management consultant. He has lived in many countries, including Canada, Germany, Austria, France, Scotland and the United States. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of 1 company and serves as an advisor for a number of others. Bernie holds a B.A. in economics from both Carleton University, Canada and Université de Chambery, France and an MSc in Entrepreneurial Studies from Stirling University, Stirling Scotland.




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